concertsfandomcom-20200215-history
June 28, 1986 Wembley Stadium, London, ENG
The Final was the farewell concert by English musical duo Wham!. It was held at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 28 June 1986. A total of 72,000 people attended the event, which included support artists and special guests, such as Elton John. Wham! had announced the breakup in 1986. During late February Michael was a guest on the talk show Aspel & Company, he announced that Wham! were to break-up and were to perform one last show. During production rehearsals for the Wembley concert, Wham! performed two warm-up shows in aid of Capital radio’s “Help a London Child” charity on the 23rd and 24 June at the Brixton Academy in London. The first ever public viewing of the Wham! in China: Foreign Skies documentary film was shown on large screens on either side of the stage. This set a record for the largest audience at a film premiere. At 7.35pm an eight-minute introduction to "Everything She Wants" began from behind a huge black curtain which had "The Final" on it in huge white letters. It opens to reveal Michael - dressed in leather, black jeans, wearing sunglasses and dancing in sync with two other dancers. Ridgeley, Shirley and Pepsi come to the stage. Ridgeley takes off his long black coat and strolled up the walkways to take off his black gloves. "Club Tropicana" then follows. "This is the best thing I've ever looked at". Michael explains, "We've got four years of thank-yous to say this evening... and I know we're going to enjoy saying them. So let's get started!". "Heartbeat" and "Battlestations" was performed. Afterwards, it was "Bad Boys", Pepsi and Shirlie made a brief appearance wearing bouffant wigs, included was "If You Were There". A large white piano was wheeled on stage, Elton John was dressed in Ronald McDonald make-up and costume, a shiny red wig, a red nose, a stripey red t-shirt and yellow dungarees. Guitarist David Austin joins and "The Edge of Heaven" begins. Michael splits the audience into three groups and gets each group to sing a section. They perform John’s 1973 hit "Candle In The Wind". "Credit Card Baby", "Like A Baby", "Love Machine", "Where Did Your Heart Go?" all followed in quick succession. There is a pause before a cover of Carly Simon’s "Why" is performed. Wham! begin their festive single "Last Christmas". Michael got the audience to do the "Wave" and everyone holds up the orange side of their programmes. It transfers into "Wham! Rap". After the ballad "A Different Corner" and "Freedom" end, they disappear for a short while and come back for "Careless Whisper" and "Young Guns". Michael runs around the stage and then it is "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go". The band comes back to do the encore, their last song, "I'm Your Man". They are alone on stage. Michael takes off his black jacket and Ridgeley is in suede with denim flies. Lights flash around, Elton John joins again in a pink mohican. Simon Le Bon (of Duran Duran) made a surprise entrance on stage. Wham! embrace, the moment is captured on the large screens. Opening acts: Gary Glitter Nick Heyward Setlist: "Everything She Wants" "Club Tropicana" "Heartbeat" "Battlestations" "Bad Boys" "If You Were There" "The Edge of Heaven" "Candle in the Wind" (ft. Elton John) "Credit Card Baby" "Like A Baby" "Love Machine" "Where Did Your Heart Go?" "Why" "Last Christmas" "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)" "A Different Corner" "Freedom" "Careless Whisper" "Young Guns (Go For It)" "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" Encore "I'm Your Man" (ft. Elton John / Simon Le Bon) Personnel George Michael - Lead vocals Andrew Ridgeley - Guitar Helen "Pepsi" DeMacque - Backing vocals Shirlie Holliman - Backing vocals Guests Sir Elton John Simon Le Bon